Reducing-valve.



N0. 836,306. V PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906. H. F. CUNNING.

RBDUCING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE19,1906.

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I r a A Troje/V516- HARRY r. GUNNING, or RoANoKE, VIRGINIA.

REDUCING-VALVE.-

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Y Patented NOV. 20, 1906.

Application filed June 19, 1906. Serial No. 322,454.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. OUNNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Reducing-Valve, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a reducing-valve designed to eectively regulate the ressure of steam, air, water, or any other uid desired to be regulated.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of a valve mechanism that is adapted to deliver fluid at any1 desired constant pressure irrespective of c anges in pressure at the source of supply or on the inlet side of the valve, automatically-actuated means being included that is controlled by the pressure on the delivery side of the valve to automatically maintain the pressure required.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of valves of this character and to reduce the number of parts so as to lessen the cost of maintenance or Wear and renewal of the parts, while at the same time diminishing the size and enhancing the neatness of the valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which is sensitive to variations in pressure, which will seat promptly when a certain predetermined pressure is reached, and by which a full port-opening can be obtained. v

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts fully described hereinafter and `set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments of the invention, is shown a vertical central sectionof the valve mechanism.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the main valve-casing, which may be of any approved construction, having an inlet-o ening 2, an outlet-opening 3 at opposite en s, and an intermediate partition 4, provided with a conically-seated `port 5. The o en ends of the casing are externally threa ed for connecting the .valve in the system adapted to be controlled by means of the fastening devices 6. Obviousl any other means may be employed for coup ing the valve to the pipes of the system. The top of the valve-casingis provided with a central opening 7, which is nternally threaded to` receive a cover 8. The cover is provided with a central opening 9, in which is movably guided the upper end of the valve-stem 10, carrying the main valve 1 1.*

The lower end of the valve-stem extendsthrough a hollow boss 12 at the bottom of the casin and its lower end is exposed to the atmosp ere, so as to facilitate the prompt seating of the valve. beveled, so as to'receive a fibrous packing 13 f or the valve-stem, the packing being held under compression by a cap-nut 14, that screws on the boss. The cap is provided with an opening 15, so as to expose the interior of the cap to atmospheric pressure and Apreventing the pressure on the outlet side of the valve that might leak around the stem from acting on the latter with a tendency to open the valve.

The valve-cover 8 .is preferably cast integral or otherwise constructed with a tubular extensionfforming a piston-cylinder 16, in.

whichl is ided the piston 17,'r1gidly connect-l ed with t e stem 10 so as to open or close the The end of the boss 12is valve 11, according to the variations in fluidpressure actin on opposite sides of the iston. The piston-cy inder 16 is externally t readed at its upper end to receive a cap-nut 18 and internally threaded at a sli ht distance below its upperpend to receive t e headv 19. This head cooperates with the c linderto form on the lower side a fluid-ti t, istoncylinder and on its upper side a diaphragmchamber 20. Arranged axially of the piston i17 and head 19 and with its ends abutting them is a helical com ression-spring 21, that normallv maintains t e main valve 11 on its seat. the piston-cylinder 1 6,v and between this head and the iston is the high-pressure chamber 22, to wlhich pressure 1s admittedthrou the portorpassage 23 in the'cover 8. T e

.piston 17 is provided with a port or ypassage lhe cover 8 forms the otherl head of A IOO to vary the pressure on Athe top side of the piston. The secondaryv y 25) is provided wit a guide-stem 26 of cross-shaped cross-section, that is guided in a central opening or bore in the head 19. The

valve (designated IlO head is provided with a depending boss 27,

forming part of the guide and having avalvefined at its periphery on shoulders 34 of the cylinder 16 and cap-nut 18. The upper jamnut and the end of the valve-stem 26 impinge on the under surface of the diaphragm and are maintained in contact therewith by .19 to the diaphragmfchamber.

the spring 31, which spring normally tends` toseat the secondary valve. The upper side of the diaphragm is reinforced by a pistonlike follower 35, which is guided in the capnut 18, the latter having a cylindrical wall with which the follower engages. The caplnut has its body portion hollow, so as to contain a helical compression spring 36 for weighting the diaphragm, the spring abutting the follower at one end andan adjustable abutment 37 at the other end. The periph.- eral surface of the abutment 37 engages the interior wall of the cap-nut, so asrto be guided longitudinally of the latter, and the .abutment is moved or adjusted'by the screw 38.

The screw screws -into va threaded opening 39 in the upper end of the ca -nut and carries at its upper end a hand-w eel 110. By this means the tension of. the spring 36 can be varied,`as desired, so as to determinfthe pressure* in the diaphragm-chamber necessary to actuate the diaphragm. The adjusting-.screw 38 is held in position by a knurled clamping-nut 41. Q

The fluid-pressure that passes from the top side of the piston 17 through the secondary valve discharges through a plurality ofradial' passages 42 in the upper boss 29 of the head From here it is preferably conveyed to the discharge side of the main valve by means of a plurality of passages 43 in the wall of the piston-cylinder -16 and an annular passage 44, communicat- 5.

ingwith the passages'43 and formed by recesses arranged 1n registration in the surfaces 45 between the casing 1 and cover 18. The passage 44 communicates with the discharge side of the main valve by the conduit 46 in the wall ol' the cas' system of cbnduits t e variations in pressure on. the discharge side of the main valve are brought -to bear upon the diaphragm so as'to .actuate the secondary valve in such a manner as to change the opposing pressures on the piston 17, and therebyactuate the main valve 1'1 to vary the sup ly of fluid through the casin 1to maintain the pressure substan tially con tant on the delivery side of the system.'

'lla Through this sameY From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and the method of operation will be readily appreciated by those skilled in` the art to which the invention appertains.

- The operation may be briefly described as follows: In the drawing the parts are indicated in their operative positions, fluid passing through the valve-casing, as indicated by the arrows. At the same time a certain portion of the fluid is passing from the inlet or highpress ure side of the casing through the port 23 to the high-pressure chamber 22 of the piston-cylinder. The pressure therein .acts on the piston against the tension of the spring 21 and holds the main valve 11 open. While the upper side of the piston is in communication with the high-pressure chamber 22 on the lower side thereof through the port 24 the pressures are not equalized, for the reason that the secondary valve is open, thereby placing the upper side of the piston in communication with the delivery side of the main valve, which normally is at a lower pressure than the inlet side. If for any reason the pressure'on the discharge side of the main valve should increase above a predetermined point that is obtained by. the set of the diaphragm-spring 36, the diaphragm will be raised to a greater or less extent and correspondingly close the secondary valve.

This will cause the pressure in the pistoncylinder on the upperlside of the piston to increase and counterbalance the Huid-pressure in the chamber 22 on the lower side of the piston." In consequence the piston will be moved downwardly and vthe main valve closed to a greater or less extent. It will be noted that when the parts are in normal operation the upper end of the boss 29 will serve as an abutment .or rest for the lower side of the diaphragm. Itis obvious that by adjusting the screw 38 inwardly or outwardly within certain limits the critical pressure at which the secondary valve automatically closes may be chan ed. When it is desired vto completely shut own the main valve, the

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willV be equalized and the piston caused to move downwardly by the tension of the spring 21. The main valve 11 is thus closed and heldv on its seat by the said s' ring as long as the secondary valve is close 'I have described the princi le 'of operation of the invention, together wit the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment therefor; but I desire to have it understoodv that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that various changes may be made, when desired, as are within the scope of the invention.'

1. The combination of a valve-casing,4an

apertured cover having a threaded engage- `1ing thepiston, said'mechanism comprising a capremovably secured to the cylinder, a head threaded in the cylinder and dividing the same into an upper and a lower chamber, a diaphragm in the upper chamber, adjustable means in the cap for weighting the diaphragm, and a valve guided in thehead and controlled by the diaphragm for varying the fluid-pressure acting on the piston.`

2. The combination of a valve-casing, a valve-seat therein, a removable cover for the casing which is provided with a cylinder cast integral therewith, a cap-nut carried by the cylinder, a diaphragm cylinder and nut, an adjustable means in the cap-nut for weighting the diaphragm, a removable head inthe cylinder for separating the upper end of the latter into a diaphragmchamber, va piston in the cylinder for dividing the stem and piston secured between the' the latter into high and low: 'pressure chambers, a port arranged to communicate with both o f the latter chambers, a valve in the casing, a stem connecting the valve with the piston, a port between the casing and cylinder, and atsecondary valve carried by the said head and actuated by the diaphragm for controlling the pressures acting on opposite sides ofthe piston for moving the same.

3. The combination of a'valve-casing, a valve-seat therein, a removable cover having a threaded engagement with the casing, a cylinder carried by the cover, a piston in the cylinder, a valve in the casing a stem extending through the cover and having a threaded connection with the piston, -a removable head for the cylinder, a cap which cooperates with the head to form a chamber, an unperforated diaphragm infthe chamber, a secondary valve for controlling the piston, a spring for normally holding the valve seated 'and in engagement with the diaphragm, a

followerA arranged in. engagement with the diaphragm and guided in the cap, a movable abutment in the cap, a spring between the abutment and follower, and an adjustable device carried by .the cap and arranged to loosely engage the abutment for adjusting the latter.

In testimony Athat I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed vmy signature of two Witnesses.

in the presence HARRY F. CUNNING. Witnesses: l

LAWRENCE S. DAVIS,

M. O. FRANKLIN. 

